Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Tuesday 20 June 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 20 June, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

TUESDAY 20th JUNE

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to help dairy farmers in East Sussex.

(126296)

2
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(127121)

3
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many telephone lines to his Department used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems.

(127120)

4
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which European Union countries provide continuous financial support to farmers after the conversion process to organic farming has been completed.

(127019)

5
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of agricultural land is certified organic and in conversion in (a) Austria, (b) Denmark, (c) Finland, (d) France, (e) Sweden and (f) the United Kingdom.

(127016)

6
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent representations he has received from commercial organisations about the percentage of food consumed in the UK which is (a) organically produced and (b) produced by (i) genetic modification and (ii) biotechnology; and what estimates commercial organisations have given him of the amount that will be so produced in 2010.

(127015)

7
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the total amount of money paid under the Common Agricultural Policy to farmers in the UK in the last financial year; and what percentage of this money was paid to organic farmers.

(127018)

8
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the Answer of 11th April, Official Report, column 134W, on organic food, what additional financial assistance he will make available to farmers wishing to convert to organic farming, in addition to free conversion advice and on-farms visits by the Organic Conversion Information Service, before the Organic Farming Scheme reopens.

(127025)

9
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much financial assistance will be available to fund organic conversion in the current financial year.

(127017)

10
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what advice his Department gave on the prosecution of Christopher Bowman for selling beef on the bone.

(126909)

11
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the (a) task forces and (b) review groups which have been established since 1st May 1997, indicating which are still in existence; and how many there were on 1st May in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2000.

(126500)

12
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government departments and agencies use interactive voice response systems to deal with enquiries from the general public departments.

(127116)

13
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many agencies of her Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(127115)

14
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, when he expects an announcement to be made following the Archbishops' Council's consideration of the clergy remuneration package.

(127126)

15
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the main components of the clergy remuneration package to be considered by the Archbishops' Council.

(127124)

16
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, when he expects the General Synod to decide on the Archbishops' Council's review of the clergy remuneration package.

(127123)

17
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the factors the Archbishops' Council will take into account in reaching a decision on the clergy remuneration package.

(127125)

18
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if it is his policy to prohibit the introduction of commercial advertisements on BBC1 and BBC2.

(126301)

19
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer to the Right honourable Member for Wokingham of 9th June, Official Report, column 397W, on the Millennium Dome, what average gross yield entrance receipt per visitor was anticipated for the Millennium Dome prior to 1st January.

(126263)

20
   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Government spent per head of population on supporting sport in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in the last financial year; what the planned figure is for 2000-01; and what assessment he has made of such spending in other EU member states.

(127127)

21
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 8th June, Official Report, column 301, on opinion research, if he will place all the unpublished opinion and market research carried out since January 1999 in the Library.

(126984)

22
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997.

(125692)

23
   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in respect of DA Notice No 4, how many (a) sites and (b) individuals have been identified where disclosure of locations and addresses would not be in the public interest.

(126876)

24
N   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the consequences for the development of future generations of military aero engines of the closure of DERA Ryestock's aero engine testing facilities.

(127090)

25
N   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consultations his Department has had with the United States Government on the proposed reorganisation of DERA; what the most recent response of the US Government has been; and if he will make a statement.

(127091)

26
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997.

(125695)

27
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to ensure that the new operators of the Atomic Weapons Establishment sites will extend the policy on openness adopted by the previous operators.

(127136)

28
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the visits outside the UK made by his Department's Permanent Secretary on official business since 1st January 1999, indicating the date and purpose of the visit in each case.

(127135)

29
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many former members of the armed services were in contact with Professor Peter Lachmann and his panel during their inquiry into the zinc cadmium sulphide trials which had been conducted by the Porton Down Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment; and if he will place the communications between them and Professor Lachmann and his team in the Library.

(127131)

30
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down has made of the toxicity to humans of (a) the nerve agent GF and (b) sarin GB.

(127132)

31
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the safety regulations covering the new exposure facility which was opened in February.

(127137)

32
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (Porton Down) has compiled since 1970 on individuals who took part in the service volunteer programme; and for what reasons.

(127133)

33
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates the Health and Safety Executive has inspected the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since 1 January 1996.

(127134)

34
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the average class size was in secondary schools in East Sussex in each year since 1979.

(126299)

35
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the disregard for bursaries and other payments for students against their assessment of income for the purpose of student support; and what plans he has to amend them.

(126769)

36
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers are directly employed by LEAs; what estimate he has made of the number that would apply for threshold pay; when he made that estimate; and how many have applied to date.

(127140)

37
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what action his Department has taken to help LEAs increase the percentage of statements of special educational needs issued within 18 weeks of application; and which LEAs have received specific support on this matter.

(127141)

38
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what are the estimated (a) administrative and (b) monitoring costs of the threshold pay scheme for teachers.

(127155)

39
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many complaints he has received in the last two years from parents of children with statements of special educational needs who consider that their LEA is failing to meet the special educational provision specified in the statement.

(127142)

40
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many pupils were excluded from schools in Coventry in the years 1995 to 2000; and what alternatives to exclusion his Department is developing.

(126113)

41
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to ICT in deprived communities.

(126114)

42
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what progess is being made in implementing the Government's policy on increasing access to ICT among families on low incomes.

(126115)

43
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what advice has been given to schools about allowing local residents' groups and other organisations access to computers and other facilities outside school hours.

(126116)

44
N   Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people suffering from dyslexia are currently receiving (a) full-time and (b) part-time support worker time under the Access to Work Scheme.

(126579)

45
N   Dr Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people had left the New Deal for Lone Parents in (a) Edinburgh and (b) Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, up to (i) the end of March and (ii) the latest available date by immediate destination, including those who (1) left income support and went into employment, (2) left income support and transferred to other benefits, (3) left income support and became ineligible for NDLP, (4) were still on income support and went into employment, (5) were still on income support and declined to join the caseload and (6) were still on income support and withdrew for other reasons.

(125751)

46
N   Dr Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people were on the New Deal for Lone Parents in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, (c) Scotland and (d) Great Britain (i) at the end of March and (ii) at the latest available date who were (1) receiving advice and guidance, (2) in education and training, (3) receiving in work support on income support and (4) receiving in work support off income support; and how many people in total have been in categories (i) and (ii).

(125752)

47
N   Dr Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, (c) Scotland and (d) Great Britain, (i) up to the end of March and (ii) up to the latest available date have (1) found sustained subsidised employment, (2) found sustained and unsubsidised employment, (3) found subsidised employment for less than 13 weeks and (4) found unsubsidised employment for less than 13 weeks.

(125753)

48
N   Dr Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people on the New Deal for over 25s in (a) Edinburgh and (b) Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (i) at the end of March and (ii) at the latest available date, (1) were in the advisory interview process, (2) had found unsubsidised jobs through the advisory interview process, (3) had transferred to other provision, (4) were in subsidised employment, (5) had taken education and training opportunities, (6) were in training for work and (7) were in follow through.

(125754)

49
N   Dr Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people in Edinburgh had (a) joined the 18 to 24 New Deal, (b) gained subsidised jobs from the 18 to 24 New Deal, (c) gained unsubsidised jobs from the 18 to 24 New Deal, (d) started on the 18 to 24 New Deal Gateway, (e) entered each of the 18 to 24 New Deal Options and (f) been on follow-through (i) at the end of March and (ii) at the latest available date.

(125822)

50
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many specialist schools have been set up since 1997; how many have opted to select 10 per cent. of their intake by aptitude; and if he will list each of those schools and their local education authority.

(126905)

51
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he plans to launch a governor's advice line as recommended by the Education and Employment Committee's Fifth Report of Session 1998-99, HC509-I; and when it will be available for school governors to use.

(126904)

52
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list by LEA in England the amount each local authority spent on education above its education SSA for each of the past five years.

(126906)

53
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent discussions he has had with US authorities regarding fifth freedoms and cabotage rights in US airspace for UK commercial carriers.

(126302)

54
   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Stewart Inquiry relating to planning regulations affecting mobile telecommunications masts.

(127154)

55
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(127113)

56
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what account local authorities are obliged to take of public health concerns when determining planning applications for telecommunication masts.

(126986)

57
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on its advice to local authorities with respect to planning applications for telecommunication masts.

(126988)

58
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guidance he has given to local authorities with respect to determining planning applications for telecommunications masts; and if he will make a statement.

(126987)

59
N   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead and Highgate):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will introduce measures to restrict rent officers raising annual rents above those applied for by landlords.

(126670)

60
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which UK heat stations other than Byker have used incinerator ash for construction.

(126334)

61
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the Government's assessment of the relationship between rates of death and projected increases in incineration of waste.

(126470)

62
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what data (a) the Government and (b) the Environment Agency hold on levels of dioxin contamination in incinerator ashes.

(126335)

63
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans the Government has to introduce independent and comprehensive testing of incinerator emissions and ash.

(126471)

64
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the Government's estimate is of the cost per year of continuous emissions monitoring at incinerators.

(126805)

65
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if authorities building incinerators can meet their recycling targets through the re-use of the ash.

(126468)

66
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent epidemiological research the Government has undertaken near incinerators; and what research it intends to undertake in the future.

(126333)

67
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps the Government is taking to enable local authorities to meet the set-up costs for intensive re-cycling.

(126469)

68
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment the Government has made of continuous emissions monitoring at incinerators in Belgium.

(126806)

69
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the purpose and functions of his Department's additional accounting officer; and when this post was created.

(127128)

70
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will set out the monitoring arrangements for levels of greenhouse gas production in the UK.

(127147)

71
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for (a) Scotland, (b) England and Wales and (c) the UK the changes in the levels of production of the six greenhouse gases in each year since 1990; and what the forecast reduction is for the following 10 years.

(127148)

72
N   Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what powers are available to him to offer a VAT rebate on holiday accommodation for visitors in the United Kingdom with particular reference to citizens of other EU states; and if he will make a statement.

(126981)

73
N   Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will use the powers available to him to vary the rate of VAT on specific services on a regional basis; and if he will make a statement.

(126980)

74
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(127117)

75
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 8th June, Official Report, column 384W, on opinion research, how he is intending to make the results of this research publicly available in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines.

(126985)

76
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letters of 4th April and 3rd May from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Helen Cruckshank.

(126675)

77
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter of 9th May from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Vernon Hope.

(126676)

78
N   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will outline his policy on (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department accepting invitations to give evidence to committees of the Scottish Parliament in relation to the impact of reserved policy matters on devolved policy areas; and if he will make a statement.

(126674)

79
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to establish that the Echelon Surveillance System is not used to the economic disbenefit of (a) the UK and (b) other EU states; and if he will make a statement.

(126298)

80
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made in connection with the UK's policy on sanctions against Iraq of the threat to (a) the UK and (b) the United States from Iraqi use of chemical weapons; and what assessment he has made of the evidence submitted by Richard Butler to the UK Government on this subject.

(125375)

81
N   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead and Highgate):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will introduce investment sanctions against Burma.

(126908)

82
N   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead and Highgate):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights record of the Chinese Government in respect of practitioners of Falun Gong; and what steps he is taking to promote human rights in China.

(126669)

83
N   Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to Governor George Bush of Texas about the execution on 22nd June of Mr Gary Graham.

(126983)

84
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997.

(125694)

85
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many visit visa applications from people aged over 65 years were (a) made, (b) granted initially, (c) refused initially and (d) deferred at the British High Commission in (i) Islamabad, (ii) Karachi, (iii) New Delhi and (iv) Mumbai in (1) 1997, (2) 1998, (3) 1999 and (4) 2000 to the most recent date for which information is available.

(127111)

86
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the current waiting times in each queue for entry to the UK for settlement in each post in the Indian subcontinent and in (a) Manila, (b) Bangkok, (c) Lagos, (d) Abuja, (e) Accra, (f) St. Petersburg and (g) Moscow.

(127112)

87
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list, for each British post abroad which operates a preliminary assessment sift system for people applying for visit visas, how many people (a) were advised to withdraw their applications and (b) followed that advice in 1999.

(127110)

88
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the library a list of bilateral treaties and agreements which have been agreed with the Government of the Republic of Ireland since 1st January 1997, including the title of each treaty and agreement and the date on which it was signed.

(127138)

89
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(127114)

90
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the cancer treatment centres available in NHS hospitals in the Greater London area.

(127157)

91
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement about the targets he has set health authorities for coronary care services.

(126111)

92
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the link between personal, social and health education and targets to reduce teenage pregnancy rates.

(126110)

93
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement about proposals to make emergency contraception available over the counter without prescription from dispensing chemists.

(126112)

94
N   Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total financial allocation in respect of HIV/AIDS (a) is in the current financial year and (b) was in each of the previous three years, broken down into the amounts devoted to (i) treatment and care, (ii) prevention, (iii) AIDs support grants, (iv) Section 64 grants, (v) public education and (vi) research.

(127014)

95
N   Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the honourable Member for West Worcestershire will receive an answer to his letters of 23rd March, 5th May and 2nd June, relating to the case of his constituent, Ms Wendy Hands of Ashbrooke, Church Walk, Upton-upon-Severn, addressed to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health.

(126982)

96
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 13th June, Official Report, column 586W, on NHS patients, if he will list by clinical specialism the number of patients treated and the amounts spent by the NHS on health care in the independent sector in each of the last three years.

(126994)

97
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason the National Poisons Information Service has not submitted its annual reports, due in July 1999 and March 2000, to his Department; and what steps he has taken to ensure that the contractual commitments of the NPIS have been delivered.

(127022)

98
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what were the terms of the contracts between his Department and the National Poisons Information Service between 1995 and the current year.

(127023)

99
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, since 1990, what work on pesticides has been carried out by the Medical Toxicology Unit (Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital Trust) and the NPIS (London) under contract to agrochemical companies; what equipment, facilities and staff funded by his Department have been used for this purpose; what agreements with his Department have been made to cover this activity; if he will publish details of those contracts; and if he will make a statement.

(127021)

100
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the members of the National Poisons Information Service Board; and how details of their meeting schedule, agendas and minutes can be obtained.

(127020)

101
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to make bribery carried out overseas by UK citizens and companies a criminal offence; and if he will make a statement.

(127075)

102
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Kosovan refugees in the UK applied for leave to remain in the last 12 months; and what percentage of such applications (a) were granted, (b) were refused and (c) are under consideration.

(127088)

103
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received in support of allowing Kosovan refugees to remain in the United Kingdom until such time as they feel able to return.

(127089)

104
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Kosovan refugees were returned to Kosovo on each day between 1st and 16th June.

(127087)

105
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the nature of the representations he has received recently from business interests in respect of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill.

(126305)

106
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will establish an investigation into the source of the leak of the findings of the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs; and if he will make a statement.

(126303)

107
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with Lord Burns following the publication of the report of the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs; and if he will make a statement.

(126304)

108
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were (a) granted unamended, (b) granted in amended form and (c) rejected in the last year for which figures are available.

(126332)

109
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with Huntingdon Life Sciences; and if he will make a statement.

(126264)

110
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to end the practice in young offender units of holding two prisoners in cells designed for one; and when he expects this practice to end.

(127143)

111
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the additional police officers announced as part of the Crime Fighting Fund are (a) in service and (b) coming into service in each of the next eight quarters (i) nationally and (ii) in Merseyside.

(127073)

112
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost of exempting volunteers from fees for (a) criminal conviction certificates, (b) criminal record certificates and (c) enhanced criminal record certificates.

(126991)

113
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many category A prisoners were released on the home detention curfew scheme up to 31st May; what offences each committed and what was the (a) sentence received, (b) sentence served and (c) time spent on the scheme in each case; if any breached the conditions of the curfew, had their licence revoked or re-offended whilst on the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(126907)

114
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his latest estimate is of the fee to be charged for (a) criminal conviction certficates, (b) criminal record certificates and (c) enhanced criminal record certificates.

(126992)

115
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review his policy on the liability of volunteers for fees for criminal conviction certificates, criminal record certificates and enhanced criminal record certificates.

(126993)

116
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of volunteers each year who will require (a) criminal conviction certificates, (b) criminal record certificates and (c) enhanced criminal record certificates once the Criminal Records Bureau is in operation.

(126990)

117
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of (a) the start-up costs and (b) the first year's operating costs of the Criminal Records Bureau; and if he will make a statement.

(126989)

118
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997.

(125697)

119
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will place in the Library a copy of the World Bank's Independent Inspection Panel report into the China Western Poverty Reduction Project; and if she will make a statement.

(126300)

120
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems.

(127118)

121
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid projects are currently financed by her Department in the Sudan.

(127156)

122
   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 12th June, Official Report, columns 442-3W, on Zimbabwe, if she will place in the Library a copy of the (a) ODA evaluation conducted in 1988 and (b) 1993 study carried out by the Zimbabwean Comptroller and Auditor General .

(127153)

123
N   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 12th June, Official Report, columns 442-3W, on land acquisition in Zimbabwe, for what reasons she did not list (a) the number, acreage and cost of farms acquired, (b) the person to whom the farms were transferred and (c) the acreage which remains in production.

(127092)

124
N   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid her Department is providing to Eastern European countries under the Know How Fund; and if she will make a statement.

(125229)

125
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what information he collates on the number of magistrates referred to local advisory committees for failing to attain required competencies.

(127145)

126
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many magistrates have been recommended for removal from sitting on the bench by a local advisory committee and how many have been removed in each of the last three years.

(127146)

127
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the (a) ethnic background and (b) gender of (i) lay magistrates, (ii) stipendiary magistrates and (iii) recorders in (1) numerical and (2) percentage terms.

(127144)

128
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the topics which have been considered by the Performance and Innovation Unit since its inception.

(126501)

129
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, how many (a) special advisers and (b) officials are authorised to respond to correspondence on his behalf.

(126506)

130
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will introduce a code for ministers and special advisers on contacts with the Press.

(126502)

131
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, what methods are used to resolve conflicts of interest within the terms and conditions of employment in the case of special advisers invested with power to direct civil servants.

(126297)

132
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, under what circumstances the Chief Press Secretary is authorised to speak on his behalf when dealing with ministers.

(126503)

133
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the visits undertaken to the United States by (a) ministers and (b) special advisers since 1st May 1997.

(126549)

134
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 5th June, Official Report, column 50W, if he will list in respect of council tax liabilities for each residence (a) which ministers have council tax paid for them from government funds and (b) which ministers declare these properties to be their (i) main and (ii) secondary residence.

(126467)

135
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, what has been the cost of his Office for each year from 1997 to date; and what is the estimated expenditure for 2000-01.

(126504)

136
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 5th June, Official Report, column 50W, if those Ministers having the use of grace and favour residences are required to use the additional cost allowance towards the costs incurred within these properties.

(126331)

137
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Prime Minister, on which dates members of his office met representatives of Central Railway plc in the last two months.

(126910)

138
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Prime Minister, how many times he met President Clinton outside the UK and the United States of America between 1st May 1997 and 1st July 1998; and what were the (a) dates, (b) locations and (c) purpose of each meeting.

(127129)

139
N   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what instructions he has given (a) Ministers and (b) officials regarding accepting invitations to give evidence to Scottish Parliament committees; and what his policy is in relation to such invitations.

(126671)

140
N   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the occasions when (a) ministers and (b) officials from his Department have been invited to give evidence to Scottish Parliament committees; how many have been accepted; how many have been refused; if he will give the reasons for each refusal; and what was the subject matter to be raised on each occasion.

(126672)

141
N   Sir Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) South Somerset have been in receipt of (i) income support, (ii) disability living allowance, (iii) incapacity benefit, (iv) unemployment benefit, and (v) housing benefit in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(126580)

142
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(127122)

143
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many telephone lines to his Department used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems.

(127119)

144
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners there are whose income takes them above the qualifying income for minimum income guarantee but who receive a final income below the minimum income guarantee once council tax rebates and housing benefit are deducted.

(127074)

145
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 13th June, Official Report, column 606W, on the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997, (a) how many of those local authorities who have reported the appointment of an inspector have a serving inspector at present and (b) how many inspectors are serving at present.

(127086)

146
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997.

(125696)

147
N   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of increasing the basic state pension for persons over (a) 75 and (b) 80 to the level of the minimum income guarantee.

(126673)

148
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many British companies have been prosecuted in the UK for bribing foreign officials in the last five years.

(127077)

149
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the directors of UK companies banned from World Bank contracts who are directors of companies in receipt of ECGD support; and if he will list the relevant companies.

(127085)

150
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the loans underwritten by Her Majesty's Government to companies implicated in the current criminal trial concerning bribery and corruption in Lesotho.

(127078)

151
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action he has taken concerning recent allegations of bribery and corruption on the part of British companies in Lesotho.

(127080)

152
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which British companies involved in the Ilisu Dam project are involved in the trial concerning bribery and corruption in Lesotho; and if he will make a statement.

(127079)

153
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what staff he has in post to check for corruption relating to ECGD- backed projects.

(127083)

154
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the British companies which have been banned from World Bank contracts because of fraud and corruption in the last five years.

(127076)

155
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what formal procedures the ECGD has for screening for evidence of corruption when underwriting contracts.

(127081)

156
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what formal procedures are in place in the event of companies in receipt of ECGD support (a) being charged with corruption and (b) having allegations of corruption made against them.

(127082)

157
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if guidelines to prevent corruption will be included in the forthcoming recommendations for the ECGD's Mission and Status.

(127084)

158
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Advertising Standards Authority.

(126329)

159
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many referrals the OFT has received from the Advertising Standards Authority since 1st May 1997.

(126330)

160
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress is being made with the Government's application to the European Commission for approval of financial support to the coal mining industry; and if he will make a statement.

(127024)

161
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action his Department is taking to encourage inward investment into the Greater London area.

(127139)

162
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997.

(125693)

163
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many times (a) ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held meetings with the United States Special Envoy for Cryptography since 20th October 1999 on (i) encryption and (ii) other issues; what were the dates and locations of each of these meetings; and what other (1) British and (2) United States government departments took part in each meeting.

(127130)

164
N   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on British policy on the enlargement of the European Union.

[Question Unstarred] (125230)

165
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what were the annual running costs of the Agenda computer system for each year from 1st May 1997 to date.

[Transferred] (126505)

166
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will ring-fence landfill tax for waste recycling and reduction.

[Transferred] (126804)

167
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria (a) existing and (b) proposed hydro-electric schemes will have to meet in order to be eligible for exemption from the climate change levy.

[Transferred] (127150)

168
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if electricity generated by hydro-electric schemes constructed under the non-fossil fuel obligation arrangements will be exempt from the climate change levy.

[Transferred] (127149)

169
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if additional renewable energy generating capacity created by the refurbishment and upgrade of existing hydro-electric schemes in Scotland will be exempt from the climate change levy.

[Transferred] (127151)

170
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if additional renewable energy generating capacity created by the construction of new hydro-electric schemes will be exempt from the climate change levy; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (127152)